The're Ba-ack

chas045(7b)May 30, 2012

Well, of course they are. And I'm sure in a few days I will regret that I even said that I have only seen five Japanese Beetles in three days. But its true. Two days ago I found three on a raspberry bush and this morning I saw two on a couple of rose leaves while they ignored the actual flower. I'm near Pittsboro. How are you all doing with our shiny bright critters.

Plant Four O'Clocks. You'll have pretty flowers and the Japanese Beetles will be attracted, bite the leaf, and die. I've planted them near vegies, crepe myrtles, and roses for years. I never have a bug in my yard- but neighbors do!

I'm still surprised that I am seeing so few; and that you all are seeing almost none either. I have noticed that they are not being selective yet. I have seen a few on some raspberries (and a few more later), and only a couple on a rose; then several on my grapes (and a few more the next day, but none today); and a few on my now almost unreachable crape myrtles (but no more that I could see) and none on my hybiscus or rose of sharon; and most interesting to me, a couple on a winged elm seedling right next to a little rose.

Yes, I cut off the buds in June. I don't allow my Knock Out roses to bloom when the JBs are around. I "keep them in the green" so to speak. Fewer beetles will show up and the roses will rebound better and bloom. I don't know if folks with the more elegant roses do this or not.

I don't use poisons in my flower gardens since I want to attract Monarch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.

This has been an unusual year (I have been here seven years) for the dreaded beetles. I am still not seeing the normal hoards that I have found in the past. I did have one day where I killed 20 + 40 in two huntings in a day, but generally I have been catching around 20 or less each day. At this point I would expect to be drowning 200 or more per hunt for at least 400 per day.

Yes, there has been a decrease. Maybe it's from the cooler temperatures in June so far? Don't know. Just guessing about what's different. Winter was mild, so I was expecting more, but I have so few. Knock on wood!

I find some beetles on the leaves also, Cameron. I don't spray either but luckily I am outside all day and just keep checking and dropping them into the soapy bowl. I think I have less every year because I have killed so many and there are fewer laying eggs.

I will check the buds and snip those that may have been attacked. So far, I only find them on Gaura, roses and hibiscus.

I thought I was the only one that noticed the decrease in Japanese bettles this year. It's very weird, but I'm not complaining. I didn't even have to walk around the garden early in the morning with my cup of hot soapy water like I usually have to!